Wheel rim strip assembly

ABSTRACT

Nylon strip wrapped peripherally around rim of spoked wheel having radial spoke apertures and valve stem hole, nipples extending through apertures and connected, respectively, to outer ends of spokes, strip frictionally engaging outer ends of nipples to prevent puncture of subsequently mounted tire on rim by accidentally loosened nipple, and having aperture cut therethrough after mounting on rim to coincide with valve stem hole, together with novel method of so mounting strip on wheel rim and apparatus for accomplishing same comprising strapping means, wheel support means including pin cooperating with valve stem hole to properly locate wheel in a loading position which is adjustable to accommodate different diameter wheels, manually operable control means to initiate lowering of support means, switch means automatically operable to stop support means, to present wheel to strapping means and initiate cyclic actuation thereof to wrap nylon strip peripherally around rim, tension, cut and secure ends of strip together, and piercing means operable to cut an aperture in mounted strip coinciding with valve stem hole and to initiate upward movement of support means to return same to loading position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to bicycles, and more particularly tospoked wheels therefor.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The customary manner of securing the spokes in a bicycle wheel is byengaging an inner hooked end of each spoke in an aperture in a hubflange and tensioning the spoke by screwing a nipple onto its outer endwhich extends through an aperture in the rim and engages the outersurface of a central peripheral groove in the rim. A tire or tire andtube then may be mounted in well-known manner on the rim, it beingunderstood that the valve stem thereof extends through a suitable holein the central peripheral groove of the rim.

If one of the spoke nipples becomes loose during operation of thebicycle, it will very quickly penetrate or puncture the tube or tire. Anattempt has been made to solve this problem by stretching an endlessrubber band over the rim and positioning it in the central peripheralgroove, with a pre-punched aperture in the rubber band coinciding withthe valve stem hole, before mounting the tire. This has proven not to bevery effective at best because the rubber has a marked tendency to floatand become dislocated relative to the spoke nipples in use, and it isdifficult to initially properly align the aperture in the rubber bandwith the valve stem hole in the rim.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The problems encountered with the prior art structures have beenovercome with the instant invention which comprises a novel combinationof an extruded strip of nylon wrapped peripherally around the rim of abicycle wheel having a central peripheral groove with aperturesreceiving nipples anchoring the outer ends of the wheel spokes, thenylon strip having been tensioned after wrapping, cut, the resultingends secured together, and thereafter being pierced to provide a holecoinciding with the valve stem hole in the rim, the nylon strip therebybeing disposed in the peripheral groove of the rim and engaging theouter ends of the spoke nipples. The invention also comprises this novelmethod for so mounting a nylon strip on a bicycle rim and the apparatusfor accomplishing the same.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of an embodiment of the apparatusincorporating the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the wheel support means on anenlarged scale showing the strip piercing means in normal retractedposition in broken lines and swung to operative position in full lines;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the support and piercing means as seenfrom the left side of FIG. 1 and on substantially the same scale as FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of the upper end of the support means asseen from the left of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged detail transverse section through a portion of awheel with a tire protecting strip mounted in the base portion of therim in contact with the outer end of a spoke nipple;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 2 of a modified form ofapparatus in which the strip piercing means is movable only verticallyrelative to the wheel support means;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 3 of the modified support andpiercing means of FIG. 6 showing a wheel in broken lines on the supportmeans in strapping position and the support means in broken lines in alowest strapping position for wheels of minimum diameter;

FIG. 8 is a front elevation similar to FIG. 4 of the modification ofFIGS. 6 and 7; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic wiring diagram of a control circuit for theinstant apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 7, a spoked wheel illustrated in sectionin FIG. 5 and in broken lines in the others and designated generally byreference numeral 11 comprises a hub 12, a rim 13, and a plurality ofspokes 14 each secured at its inner end to the hub 12 and at its outerend to the rim by a nipple 15, the rim having the usual valve stem holeextending radially therethrough. As shown in FIG. 5, each nipple 15extends through a radially disposed spoke aperture 16, has a slottedouter flange 17 engaging the inner peripheral surface 18 of the rim 13and a tapped bore enabling it to be screwed onto the threaded outer endof the spoke 14, as by means of its slotted flange or wrench-receivingflats 19 on its outer surface.

Such spoked wheels are well-known, as is the fact that even thoughinitially tightened properly, a nipple 15 may become loosened, andparticularly because of rough use or high speed of travel, the resultingrotative unscrewing of a loosened nipple will very quickly puncture atube or tire mounted on the wheel rim. The present invention effectivelyeliminates such damaging results by the winding or wrapping of anextruded nylon strip 21 peripherally around the central groove of therim 13, tensioning the strip, cutting and securing its ends together sothat the strip frictionally contacts the outer flanges 17 of all of thenipples 15, and thereafter cutting an aperture through the strip 21coinciding with the valve stem hole in the rim 13. This procedureassures easy access to the valve stem hole in the rim for the usualvalve stem and the strip 21 not only functions to restrain all of thenipples 15 against accidental loosening, but also effectively protectsthe tube or tire against being damaged or punctured by a nipple whichmay work loose.

As a specific comparative example of the degree of protection affordedby the nylon strip 21, a series of tests were performed, all on a 27inch Endrick rim with National Puff H.P.R.R. tire and tube inflated to75 psi, with two different brands of standard spoke nipples, Union andTorrington, and a nipple rotated until loss of air pressure, with no rimstrip, a National rubber rim strip, and the instant nylon rim strip 21,respectively. Following are the times at which the no strip and rubberstrip configurations failed by blowing the tube, and the time at whichthe nylon strip test was terminated. There was no failure in the nylonstrip test, although heavy scoring of the strip resulted.

    ______________________________________                                        Rim                                                                           Strip Nipple    Hr.        Min.     Sec. Revolutions                          ______________________________________                                        No    Union     0      --  0    --  10   71                                   strip Torrington                                                                              0      --  0    --   3   21                                   Rubber                                                                              Union     0      --  2    --  30   1,075                                strip Torrington                                                                              0      --  0    --  59   422                                  Nylon Union     1      --  15   --   0   32,250                               strip Torrington                                                                              1      --  15   --   0   32,250                               ______________________________________                                    

In addition to the previously described spoked wheel 11 incorporatingthe nylon strip 21 and the indicated method of applying the strip to thewheel, this invention contemplates novel apparatus for effecting thatcombination. A first embodiment of such apparatus is shown in FIGS. 1-4.Reference numeral 22 indicates in general a strapping machine similar tothat disclosed in U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,548,740 comprising an upperframe 23 defining a closed path for a carrier which forms a tensionedloop of strap about an article, such as the wheel 11, placed on theupper surface or top plate 24 of a lower casing 25. The strap, in thiscase the nylon strip 21, is fed from a storage spool mechanism 26, andmeans fully disclosed in said U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,740 are housed withincasing 25 for cutting the tensioned strip 21 after it has been loopedabout the wheel 11 and securing the ends of the strip together. Thesealing means in that patent perform a friction fusion operation, but itwill be appreciated that any other method, such as the use ofquick-setting adhesive, may be employed that will satisfactorily retainthe ends of the tensioned strip 21 together. After so forming thetensioned strip 21, it is released by the strapper 22 to assume itsfinal position of FIG. 5 in the peripheral groove in the rim 13 infrictional engagement with all of the spoke nipples 15.

Wheel support means are mounted on the top plate 24 in any suitablemanner which comprise base members 27 having vertical aperturesreceiving guide pins 28 and air motor means including a cylinder 29having an air-operated piston with an upwardly extending piston rod 31secured at its upper end to a support and locator plate 32. The lattercarries bushings 33 in suitable apertures therethrough for slidablyengaging the guide pins 28. An upstanding locator pin 34 is provided ona central forward projection of the plate 32 for engaging in the valvestem hole of the rim 13 of a wheel 11 when the wheel is placed thereonas shown in broken lines in FIGS. 1 and 3. When so disposed, the wheelis supported by the plate 32 in loading position, and the operation ofcontrol means subsequently to be described may be initiated bydepressing both of two manually operable switches or palm buttons 35(FIG. 1) to cause downward movement of piston rod 31 and plate 32 tolower the wheel 11 to operative position relative to strapping means 22and resting on the top plate 24 thereof. As the wheel reaches thatoperative position, it actuates a switch means 36, preferably in theform of a spring sensor, automatically operable to stop movement ofpiston rod 31 and support plate 32 and to initiate cyclic actuation ofthe strapping machine 22.

Mounted on support plate 32 for movement with and relative thereto is apiercing means comprising air motor means including a cylinder 37 havingan air-operated piston with an upwardly extending piston rod 38rotatably supporting at its upper end a frame 39 carrying a motor 41 atits rear end, a piercing cutter 42 depending from its forward end andsuitble transmission means for causing the motor to rotate the cutter.The frame 39 is adapted to be swung horizontally about the vertical axisprovided by the piston rod 38 between an operative position with thecutter 42 axially aligned with the locator pin 34, as shown in fulllines in the drawings and a retracted position illustrated in brokenlines in FIG. 2. This may be accomplished by an air cylinder 43 mountedon the locator plate 32 and having a piston with a rod 44 connected atits forward end (FIG. 2) by a pin 45 and slot 46 to the piercing frame39.

Upon completion of a cyclic operation of the strapping machine 22, themotor 41 is energized, the air cylinder piston is extended to cause thepiston rod 44 to swing the frame 39 into operative position against anadjustable stop 47 carried by a bracket 48 extending upwardly from thesupport and locator plate 32, and air is directed to the upper end ofcylinder 43 and exhausted from its lower end to retract the piston rod44 to lower frame 39. The piercing cutter 42 is hollow ground to toaccommodate the locator pin 34 so that it thereby cuts an aperturethrough the tensioned strip 21 which coincides with the valve stem holein the rim 13 through which pin 34 extends. Upon completion of thatstrip piercing operation, valve means controlling air cylinder 43 in amanner to be described later causes extension of piston rod 38 to raisethe frame 39 relative to locator plate 32, piston rod 44 is retracted toswing the frame 39 to inoperative position, and the piston rod 31 isextended to raise the support and locator plate 32 back to loadingposition.

It will be understood that if a large number of spoked wheels havingrims of the same diameter are to be provided with the nylon strips 21,it may be desirable to render the means for raising and lowering thesupport and locator plate 32 temporarily inoperative and merely load andunload such wheels with the locator plate retained at the appropriatelower operative position. Of course, the advantage of being able to movethe support and locator plate as previously described is that themachine thereby may be used in successive operations to apply nylonstrips 21 to wheels having different diameters.

A second embodiment of apparatus for applying the nylon strips 21 tospoked wheels is illustrated in FIGS. 6-8. This is for use with astrapping machine 22 having guides for angularly deflecting the strip 21as it is being wrapped around the wheel 11, whereby a non-pivoting valvestem hole-piercing unit may be employed. To this end, the same referencenumerals are used for the modification of FIGS. 6-8 as were used inconnection with that of FIGS. 1-4 and the parts so identified in eachare substantially the same except that the air cylinder 37 and itspiston rod 38 are inverted, with piston rod 38 connected to the supportand locator plate 32 (FIG. 7) and cylinder 37 connected to the frame 39.In this modification of FIGS. 6-8 the frame 39 is not required to beswung horizontally, so it is guided in its vertical movements relativeto the plate 32 by rods 51 secured at their lower ends to the plate 32and extending through suitable apertures in the frame 39. Verticallyadjustable stop pins 52 (FIGS. 6 and 7) depend from the frame 39 forengagement with the plate 32 to limit downward movement of the piercingcutter 42 relative to the plate 32 and a wheel supported thereby withits rim 13 having its tire valve hole engaged by the locator pin 34.Means also are provided in this modification for limiting upwardmovement of the wheel support plate 32 which comprises stop rings 53(FIGS. 6 and 8) adjustably mounted on the guide pins 28.

While the switch means 36 is illustrated differently in FIG. 7 than inFIGS. 1-3, it comprises a spring sensor in each modification adapted tobe actuated by a wheel rim as it is placed in strapping position, eitherwhen the wheel support and locator plate 32 is held in strappingposition and use of cylinder 29 is dispensed with during operations on alarge number of wheels of the same diameter, or when the plate 32 islowered as hereinafter described to place a rim properly positionedthereon in strapping position. Both modifications of the apparatusinclude wheel registry safety means, preferably in the form of ballsensors 54 of well-known construction, (FIGS. 1, 4 and 8) which preventmachine operation if a wheel is not properly positioned on the locatorpin 34 of the support plate 32.

Operation of the apparatus now will be described with reference to theschematic diagram of FIG. 9. As illustrated therein, the cylinder 29 andits piston 31, which raise and lower wheel support plate 32, comprise aspring-centered air motor of well-known construction including switchvalves 55 and springs 56 which normally maintain the valves inintermediate or inoperative positions. The cylinder 37 and its piston 38for moving the piercing cutter 42 vertically relative to the supportplate 32 comprise an air motor including a switch valve 57 forcontrolling its operation. The two ball sensors 54 are connected to ableed relay 58 interposed in a line 59 comprising a source of electricenergy. If a wheel rim is not properly positioned on the support plate32 with its valve stem hole engaged by the locator pin 34, one or theother of the ball sensors 54 will break the circuit through bleed relay58 and prevent machine operation in response to closing of both startcycle switches or palm buttons 35. However, if a wheel rim is properlypositioned on plate 32, closing of both switches 35 will complete acircuit from line 59 to actuate a flip-flop switch 61 to complete acircuit to actuate valves 55 against their springs 56 to direct air tothe upper end of cylinder 29 and to open the lower end thereof to theatmosphere which lowers piston rod 31 and the wheel support 32.

As the wheel thus lowered arrives at its lowermost operative position inthe strapper, the spring sensor 36 is actuated to effect actuation of asecond bleed relay 62 which breaks the circuit through flip-flop switch61 to permit springs 56 to return the valves 55 of cylinder 29 to normalintermediate or inoperative positions, and also completes a circuitthrough a strapper on-off switch 63, an impulse generator 64 and apressure switch 65 to initiate a cyclic operation of the strapper 22.

It will be understood that in addition to requiring operation of bothpalm buttons 35, another safety feature is employed which comprises aknown infrared safety curtain interface operable if anything is movedinto the upper frame 23 to stop the machine. This includes a normallydeenergized solenoid 66 (top of FIG. 9) which accomplishes that functionwhen energized but, when deenergized, allows flow of current through aNOT gate or switch 67 to send a signal through an OR gate 68 to theswitch valve 57 to effect air retraction of piston rod 38 into cylinder37 to thereby raise the piercing cutter 42 to inoperative position.

As the strapping cycle is completed which was initiated by operation ofthe pressure switch 65, a solenoid 69 is energized to start a cut signalthrough an AND gate 71 to move the valve 57 to effect air movement ofpiston rod 38 to lower the piercing cutter 42. This signal also isemployed to energize the cutter rotating motor 41.

As the cutter 42 completes its operation and reaches its lowermostposition, a pressure release trip (P.R.T.) 72 is thereby actuated tocomplete a signal through an OR gate 73 which actuates the valves 55 todirect air to the lower end of cylinder 29 and to open the upper endthereof to the atmosphere which raises piston rod 31 to return the wheelsupport 32 to loading and unloading position. At the same time, thesignal from OR gate 73 causes a P.R.T. 74 to initiate a raising orretracting of the cutter 42 through the agency of effecting a signalthrough the OR gate 68 to the switch valve 57. Incidentally, if at anytime following completion of a cycle of operation of the strappingmachine 22 it is desired to return the wheel support 32 to its initialupper position, such may be accomplished by depressing a manual returnswitch 75 associated with the OR gate 73.

While the specific embodiments of this invention have been illustratedand described with respect to a bicycle wheel, it will be appreciatedthat it is equally applicable to use with any spoked wheel, such as formotorcycles or other vehicles, using means for fastening the outer endsof the spokes to the rim which may accidentally become loosened duringuse.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description, and it will beapparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction andarrangement of the parts and the method employed without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its materialadvantages, the forms and the method hereinbefore described being merelypreferred embodiments thereof.

I claim:
 1. Apparatus for mounting a nylon strip around the periphery ofthe rim of a spoked wheel having a valve stem hole therethrough andspokes with their outer ends secured to said rim by nipples extendingtherethrough, .Iadd.comprising strapping means, .Iaddend.wheel supportmeans including locator means cooperating with said valve stem hole toproperly position said wheel thereon when in a loading position,manually operable control means for initiating movement of said supportmeans to an operative position relative to said strapping means, switchmeans automatically operable to stop movement of said support means insaid operative position and to initiate cyclic actuation of saidstrapping means to wrap a nylon strip peripherally around said rim,tension, cut and secure the ends of said strip together, and piercingmeans operable in response to completion of said cyclic actuation ofsaid strapping means to cut an aperture in said strip coinciding withsaid valve stem hole and to initiate movement of said support means toreturn said wheel to loading position.
 2. Apparatus according to claim1, wherein said wheel support means is adjustable to vary the loadingposition thereof relative to said strapping means to accommodate wheelsof different diameters.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein saidpiercing means is operatively mounted on said wheel support means toinsure uniform operation thereof regardless of the diameter of the wheelwith which it is being employed.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said locator means comprises a pin for receiving said valve stemhole.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said piercing meanscomprises a rotatable tubular cutter movable during a piercing operationcoaxially relative to said pin.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said piercing means is mounted on said wheel support means andcomprises a rotary cutter normally disposed in a retracted inoperativeposition, and cyclically operable means for moving said cutter tooperative position in axial alignment with the valve stem hole of awheel mounted on said support means and retracting said cutter toinoperative position.
 7. Apparatus for mounting a nylon strip around theperiphery of the rim of a spoked wheel having a valve stem holetherethrough and spokes with their outer ends secured to said rim bynipples extending therethrough, comprising strapping means, wheelsupport means including locator means cooperating with said valve stemhole to properly position said wheel thereon, means for initiatingcyclic actuation of said strapping means to wrap a nylon stripperipherally around said rim, tension, cut and secure the ends of saidstrip together, and piercing means operable in response to completion ofsaid cyclic actuation of said strapping means to cut an aperture in saidstrip coinciding with said valve stem hole.